Understanding Credit Scoring and Credit Repair

Good credit score translates into lower interest rates

Credit remediation is a subject consumers often face with fear and trepidation, and for good reason. With the exception of recognizing that the best score wins, the average home shopper knows very little about the whole credit scoring process. Borrowers who are eager to move into A-Paper territory often find themselves at a loss when trying to find ways to improve their credit history. The good news is there are ways to improve less-than-perfect credit scores.

What is a good credit score?

Most A-Paper scores generally begin around 680, although this number may differ slightly among lenders. Don’t despair if you come up shy, there is always room for improvement. Increasing your score just 5 points can save a significant amount of money. For example, if your score is 698 and you increase it to 703, then you could save yourself thousands of dollars over time as a result of a slight improvement to your loan’s interest rate.

How often should I check my credit report?

Keep credit inquiries to a minimum. Each inquiry into your credit history can impact your score anywhere from 2-50 points. When it comes to mortgage and auto loans, even though you’re only looking for one loan, multiple lenders may request your credit report. To compensate for this, the score counts multiple auto or mortgage inquiries in any 14-day period as just one inquiry, so try and stay within that time frame.

Should I close existing credit card accounts that I don’t use?

Keep your existing accounts open and active. The average consumer is usually anxious to close credit card accounts that have zero balances, but doing this can cause them to lose the benefits of a long-term credit history and increase their ratio of debt-to-available credit. The bottom line is don’t close those old accounts!

Remember, credit scores don’t change overnight. Improving them requires time and diligent effort on your part, so it’s a good idea to get the ball rolling at least three to six months prior to submitting your application for home financing.

Leaman Team wants to make sure your questions are answered. Please call Leaman Team today to discuss your home financing: (800) 301-3405 or email Team@MaxLeaman.com.

We at New American Funding take great pride in our customer service and make it our number one priority. We encourage you to contact us for complaint resolution or any post-closing questions you may have regarding the servicing of your loan. We strive to have your experience with New American Funding a stellar one. In the rare case that our service did not meet your expectations, please call our customer care hotline at 1-800-450-2010, ext. 7100 or you may contact us by email at customerservice@nafinc.com. Please leave a detailed message and we will follow up with you no later than the end of the next business day.